Trials & Tribulations - The drama of running a business and of life.It's not as easy as it looks. Running a business is full of drama. Customers, employees, money, family, time. You name it, it's a problem. Share with us your drama and how you handled it.

Running Solo

Trials & Tribulations - The drama of running a business and of life.

It's not as easy as it looks. Running a business is full of drama. Customers, employees, money, family, time. You name it, it's a problem. Share with us your drama and how you handled it.

How many of you guys running solo have a back up plan if something were to happen to you like a accident or sickness and you could not service your accounts?

I have been solo most of my lawn care career because I love my full time occupation of Tool & Die. Back in 1995 my business grew to about 25 customers
which is a lot for a guy working 50 hours a week at another job. A friend of mine who also was a PT LCO helped me out that season which was a god send.
We ended up knowing each others accounts and to this day help each other out if needed. Now I find myself in a similar situation except not with mowing but rototilling, landscaping and other services that we offer. I am leaning towards going full time with my business especially if organic fertilization takes off the way I think it will. Luckily I have my 2 sons to help me now.

My point is : If your gonna remain solo, have someone trained to help you out in case of emergency. Have a back up plan.

What would I do if I were unable to work for a short period of time. Hmm.

I have a friend who I put to work for another company, but the pay wasn't worth the work is the way he saw it, I agree.

He wasn't bad at all, a little slow & had no motivation. I think if I told him I was sick, that I needed him to work for me for a bit, I'd have to follow up with, "you will be paid 100% of the lawns you cut, making the profits that I would have been making"

If I'm sick with a cold or fever, I'd be working. I'd have to be missing limbs or whatever.

I've worked lawns with a broken shoulder & broken hand. Mowing with one hand is tricky at first, but now it's hard to mow with 2 hands lol.

Anyway, I have a few friends who wouldn't mind working for me, but I should focus on how much they earn, no one wants minimum wage for this type of work. Thanks for giving me something to consider, you never know what could happen, especially after watching, "Final Destination, 1,2, & 3" lol

When I have a kid, & when I'm on my death bed I'll say,

"come closer... take my hand... Breeze is all yours now, you must continue providing our customers with the service they deserve" then I'll hit the can.

Then the prick will probably change the company name... lol...

I always bug my girlfriend when she asks if I need something, example:

Girlfriend: What do you want to drink?

Scott: Snappy Water.

Girlfriend: What's that?

Scott: Water, & make it snappy!

I have thought about changing BREEZE to SNAPPY'S, "make it snappy, Snappy's Lawn Service"

A friend of mine who also was a PT LCO helped me out that season which was a god send.

Turf,
I have three real good friends who are also LCO's. We help each other out when needed, vacations, sick days (who has those?) or when we get behind like this past week. With all the rain we received, we all became behinds in our accounts so we helped each other out. I helped my friend land a package account (7 stores) for a major restaurant chain. I donít have the time to do this account just yet so he has it now. At the end of every month he comes by and donates some greenbacks to my account for my equipment repairs.

Turf,
I have three real good friends who are also LCO's. We help each other out when needed, vacations, sick days (who has those?) or when we get behind like this past week. With all the rain we received, we all became behinds in our accounts so we helped each other out. I helped my friend land a package account (7 stores) for a major restaurant chain. I donít have the time to do this account just yet so he has it now. At the end of every month he comes by and donates some greenbacks to my account for my equipment repairs.

What advice would you have for putting something together where you could have an emergency plan like this in place for when you need it?

I would suggest having someone trained like a helper or family member.

What also works is having another LCO help you out. Of course it has to be someone you can trust. A good friend of mine who is also in the biz helps me out with bigger landscape projects as well as mowing especially when I get behind because of rain. He has all my accounts on his GPS and I have all of his.
What's really cool is we both have 2 son's that can help us as well.
We also refer work to one another.

At one time we almost bought out a larger LCO and were going into business together but decided against it and I am glad we did. Anyway I think if your running solo you better have a back up plan or your business could go down hill fast.